Superintendent of Insurance Neil D. Levin today released the Departments annual
ranking of consumer complaints against New York States automobile insurance
companies. The report ranks 52 auto insurance groups representing 167 companies. The
companies ranked at the top of the list were the best performers in 1996 in terms of
consumer complaints. The ranking reflects the claims-handling ability of these insurers
and serves as an indicator of policyholder satisfaction.

Three insurers--each with no complaints upheld against them--tied for first place on
the 1996 ranking: TIG Insurance Group, Eveready Insurance Company and Executive Insurance
Company. These were followed by Amica Mutual Insurance Company, Netherlands Insurance
Companies and Allianz Insurance Group, each with a 0.04 complaint ratio.

At the other end of the spectrum were Country-Wide Insurance Company with a complaint
ratio of 1.70 and U.S. Capital Insurance Company with 1.25. (U.S. Capital Insurance
Company is in rehabilitation and is no longer writing new business.) Next on the ranking
are Leucadia Group with an 0.68 ratio, Interboro Mutual Insurance Company with 0.57 and
Merchants and Business Mens Mutual Insurance Company with 0.52. It should be noted
that Merchants and Business Mens Mutual writes only physical damage coverage, i.e.,
collision and comprehensive.

The complaint ratio is calculated by dividing the number of private passenger auto
complaints charged against an insurer and closed by the Departments Consumer
Services Bureau in 1996 by the insurers 1995-1996 average private passenger auto
premium volume in New York State.

The ten insurers with the best performance are:

1996
Rank

Company or Group

Complaint
Ratio

1995
Rank

1

TIG

0.00

13

2

Eveready

0.00

50

3

Executive

0.00

11

4

Amica Mutual

0.04

5

5

Netherlands

0.04

2

6

Allianz

0.04

7

7

Chubb & Son

0.06

10

8

Liberty Mutual

0.06

16

9

Tri-State Consumer

0.06

3

10

Integon

0.06

21

The ten insurers with the highest complaint ratios are:

1996
Rank

Company or Group

Complaint
Ratio

1995
Rank

52

Country-Wide

1.70

57

51

U.S. Capital

1.25

29

50

Leucadia

0.68

49

49

Interboro Mutual Indemnity

0.57

51

48

Merchants & Bus. Mens Mut.

0.52

46

47

Winterthur

0.41

54

46

Merchants Mutual

0.38

47

45

Zurich-American

0.37

43

44

American International

0.36

53

43

Motors

0.33

24

The five largest auto writers in New York State are ranked as follows:

1996
Rank

Company or Group

Complaint
Ratio

1995
Rank

27

Allstate

0.18

32

34

State Farm

0.24

33

11

Berkshire-Hathaway (GEICO)

0.07

14

16

Travelers

0.13

17

21

Nationwide

0.14

15

The Department encourages any New Yorker unable to resolve a complaint against an
insurance company, broker, agent or adjuster to contact our Consumer Services Bureau. The
toll-free number is 800-342-3736.

A complete copy of the rankings will be available on the Departments Website at
www.ins.state.ny.us or by writing the Departments Publications Unit at Agency
Building #1, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12257. Complaint forms can also be printed
from the Website.